The benefits and importance of Illinois military records in family history and genealogical research for ancestors who have been veterans are apparent but Illinois military records can also be crucial to researchers whose immediate ancestors just weren’t soldiers in any war. Because of the volume of genealogical information covered in some Illinois military pension files they should not be ignored all through the research process.The Allen County Public Library and the Newberry Library (NARA microfilm publication M539) hold copies of the “Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers who Served in Organizations from the State of Illinois.”
A set of 898 microfilm reels containing Revolutionary War records of navy, marine, enlisted, and other military groups has recently been added to the collections at the Illinois State Archives. Most of those records are from National Archives Record Group 15, “Selected Records from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files,” M805 and cover the years of 1800 to 1900. The collection is available at the Illinois State Library or through inter-library loan programs. The collection is organized according to the veteran’s surname.
Indexes of men who served from Illinois in the following wars can be found at the Illinois State Archives: Indian Wars, Black Hawk War, Mexican War, Civil War and Spanish-American War.
A multi-volume set called the “Honor Roll of Veterans Buried in Illinois” is also housed at the Illinois State Archives. It is organized according to county and lists each veteran’s name, service, and cemetery and grave location. The Illinois State Archives website also lists many different databases containing military records.
In 1898 Danville, Illinois became home to a National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (Veterans Administration Center). The National Archives record groups 15 and 131 hold records from that facility.
The Illinois State Archives is home to microfilmed World War I Selective Service Draft Registration Cards. The records from the Selective Service Board for 1917 to 1919 in Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois can be found at the National Archives – Great Lakes Region in Record Group 163. Those records also include a Delinquent and Deserter Form index, although it is not complete.
The National Archives – Great Lakes Region is home to World War II Selective Service Draft Registration card manuscripts. They list men born between April 28, 1877 and February 16, 1897.
- Illinois Military Records (Fold3.com)
- Database of the 1929 Illinois Roll of Honor (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Database of Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home Residents (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Illinois Military Record Books (amazon.com)
Illinois in pre Statehood Wars
- Colonial wars of the Northwest Territory
- Illinois Revolutionary War Veteran Burials
- Database of Illinois Winnebago War Veterans (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Database of Illinois Black Hawk War Veterans (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Bible records compiled by Illinois Society, D.A.R., 1968-1969
- Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Illinois
- Genealogies and Bible records gathered by the Illinois Society, D.A.R., 1976-1977
- Illinois Society of the S.A.R. Yearbook, 1896
Illinois in the War of 1812
War of 1812 Website Links
- Research in the War of 1812 1812-1815 (uswars.net)
- Database of Illinois War of 1812 Veterans (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Illinois War of 1812 Books (amazon.com)
Illinois in the Mexican American War
War of 1812 Website Links
- Research in the Mexican American War 1846-1848 (uswars.net)
- Record of the services of Illinois soldiers in the Black Hawk War, 1831-32, and in the Mexican War, 1846-8 : containing a compl
- Database of Illinois Mexican War Veterans (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Illinois War of 1812 Books (amazon.com)
Illinois in the Civil War
Though no battles were held in Illinois during the Civil War, Illinois was a major source of troops for the Union army and provided a number of important war leaders. The state supplied food, clothing, iron products, and grain to help to ensure the Union Army’s victory.
Civil War Website Links
- Research in the Civil War 1861-1865
- Civil War Records at the Illinois State Archives (portal.state.pa.us)
- Civil War links from fold3.com with original data from the National Archives:
- Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Illinois
- Civil War and Later Veterans Pension Index from Illinois
- Illinois Civil War “Widows’ Pensions”
- Barred and Disallowed Illinois Claims – The Southern Claims Commission denied these claims by Illinois citizens seeking compensation for property loss. They were barred or disallowed for a number of reasons. Original data from the National Archives
- Illinois Civil War Maps – Maps, charts, and atlases depicting battles, troop positions and movements, engagements, and fortifications in Illinois during the Civil War, 1861-1865.
- Database of Illinois Civil War Veterans Serving in the U.S. Navy (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Database of Illinois Civil War Veterans of Missouri Units (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Illinois Civil War Infantry Regiments and Units
- Illinois Civil War Cavalry Regiments and Units
- Illinois Civil War Artillery Regiments and Units
- Civil War links from ancestry.com:
- U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865
- U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865
- History of the Thirty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, during the War of the Rebellion
- Patriotism of Illinois: a record of the civil and military history of the state in the War for the Union, Vols. 1-2
- The history of the Thirty-ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Veteran Infantry (Yates Phalanx) in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-
- History of the 124th Regiment, Illinois Infantry Volunteers : otherwise known as the “Hundred and Two Dozen,” from August, 1862
- The era of the Civil War, 1848-1870
- History of the Eighty-fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry
- History of the Ram Fleet and the Mississippi Marine Brigade in the War for the Union on the Mississippi and its tributaries
- Ninety-second Illinois Volunteers
- Bugle echoes : the story of Illinois 47th
- History, 31st Regiment, Illinois Volunteers : organized by John A. Logan.
- History of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry Regiment
- Historical sketch of the Forty-fifth Illinois Regiment
- A list of officers of the Illinois Regiment, and of Crockett’s Regiment, who have received land for their services : a list of
- Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Database (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Illinois Civil War Books (amazon.com)
Illinois Post Civil War
War Website Links
- Database of Illinois Spanish–American War Veterans (cyberdriveillinois.com)
- Roster of the Illinois National Guard
- Database for the Illinois Veterans’ History Project (cyberdriveillinois.com)